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Microsoft tech troubleshooter extraordinaire Gov Maharaj and I help walk you through troubleshooting solutions to your tech support problems. If you have a problem you want to send us, you can use the Problem Step Recorder in Windows 7 (see this for details on how) and send us the zip file to DefragShow@microsoft.com. We will also be checking comments for problems, but the email address will let us contact you if needed.

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I've found that OEMs don't make install media available anymore; rather, they provide you with a "system restore" disk (or, more often, a hard drive partition, usually with the option to burn to a DVD that I've never seen actually work) that essentially re-images your hard drive back to the state in which it shipped -- with all drivers, apps, ads, bloatware, etc. that came with it.

There are quite a few advantages to this -- all necessary and correct (if dated) drivers get installed, it's a whole lot faster to re-image than to go through an install process, no devices will get missed or mis-detected -- but it does make it next to impossible to get a true "vanilla" Windows install.

(I suppose it doesn't hurt to call and ask for a plain Windows install disk, but I don't know if they'll honor such a request.)

If you download an ISO from MSDN, could you use the OEM's key (the "genuine Windows" sticker they stick on the machine) to activate it, without having to burn a key from your MSDN allotment?

In Windows 7 Pro, you can hold the Shift key and right click the application icon you want to run. From the menu select "Run as a different user" and supply the other users credentials. I use this day to day in a domain environment, but it also works with local accounts.

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